Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Jeannie Lin is a Golden Heart award winner and Harlequin Historical author. Her debut novel, BUTTERFLY SWORDS, combines sword fighting, a sweeping historical backdrop, and forbidden love. With four more titles to come, all set in Tang Dynasty China, Jeannie is keeping her fingers crossed that this hard sell sub-genre will soon become hard to resist. Visit Jeannie at http://www.jeannielin.com/

BUTTERFLY SWORDS

Journey to the very edge of honor, loyalty . . . and love

During China’s infamous Tang Dynasty, a time awash with luxury, yet littered with deadly intrigues and fallen royalty, betrayed Princess Ai Li flees before her wedding. Miles from home, with only her delicate butterfly swords for a defense, she enlists the reluctant protection of a blue-eyed warrior…

Battle-scarred, embittered Ryam has always held his own life at cheap value. Ai Li’s innocent trust in him and honorable, stubborn nature make him desperate to protect her – which means not seducing the first woman he has ever truly wanted….

I started writing seriously for publication while I was still teaching high school. In a conversation with a fellow teacher, I admitted that I had always wanted to write and I realized there was nothing keeping me from pursuing that dream. So I signed up for a romance writing class offered by the UCLA extension.

What did you learn while writing this book?

Oh my, what didn’t I learn? About the craft of writing, about myself as a person…Let’s just say the big lesson I learned is how to improve off of feedback. I learned how to listen and gather in a range of critiques and ultimately boil it down to what needed to be done to improve the story. A critique often highlights a symptom of the underlying malady. It’s not necessarily detailing the right cure.

What did you hope to accomplish with this book?

On a selfish level: I wanted to write the book of my dreams and see it on a bookshelf. My larger goal was to find a way to pull together all the many things that I loved and put it into a cohesive story that someone else could enjoy. I had grown up loving the honor culture of wuxia stories with its high drama and sentimentality and I felt very deeply that there was a place for it in mainstream fiction. More specifically, that the romance genre was the perfect place.

Is the “writer’s life” what you thought it would be?

It actually is. I thought it would be a lot of work and a lot of PAPER and very, very gratifying on a deep, emotional level. And it’s all those things.

Which five characters (can be from books, movies, or tv shows) would you invite over for dinner and why?

This is a tough question! Queen Elizabeth I, Morgan Le Fay, Scarlett O’ Hara, Empress Wu, Cleopatra. I’m fascinated by powerful women and I think this crew would make a heck of a girl’s night out.

What are three things you wish you’d known before you reached where you are now?

I wish I knew Mandarin. I wish I’d read about a thousand more books than I have. I also wish I’d known how to manage my time better.

Can you give us one do and one don’t for those aspiring to be a writer?

Do: Keep the love for the writing alive

Don’t: Ever think that your writing is good enough. Not because readers like it, because you’ve won contests, because you’ve sold …

What one thing about writing do you wish other non-writers would understand?

There might be good books and bad books, but there are no easy books. A lot of work and craft goes into writing a book. We have to study and practice just like any other profession.

What was the best advice you’d ever gotten about the publishing industry? The worst?

The best: Be nice to everyone (from Kate Pearce)

The worst: Write something that will actually sell. (Just because I’m not an accomplished enough writer yet to switch at will, not because it’s bad advice in general.)

What is something readers would be surprised you do?

They’d be surprised that I get extremely jittery about speaking in public or signing or pretty much anytime I have to appear in front of people.

If you could be a character from any book you've read, who would you be?

I would so love to pilot a spaceship! Like blowing up a Deathstar would be really cool. Though there are book versions of the Star Wars trilogy, I haven’t read them so I guess that’s kind of cheating. I think I’d like to be like Robert Langdon in the Da Vinci code. Solve puzzles and travel all over the world finding hidden clues in historical artifacts. Spend lots of time in libraries and museums the rest of the time.

Our theme this month is Men In Fiction. What male writer are you reading?

I feel so awful! None right now. The one that’s closest on my TBR list is Robert Hans van Gulik, who wrote the Judge Dee series.

Oprah always asks, What do you know for sure?

I know for sure that life and all things in it are impermanent.

Can you give us a sneak peek of your next book?

Next book that is coming out is the sequel to Butterfly Swords. Here’s a snippet, not yet copyedited:

She wouldn’t cower before him. The rulers of the empire devoured the weak. Suyin waited until he came forward to pull the curtain aside with a sweep of his arm. The tiniest of concessions.

“Tell me, Governor.” She ran a fingertip across her own cheek. “How did you get that scar?”

His eyes narrowed. “A woman,” he said after a pause.

Her lips teased into a smile. “Fascinating.”

His hand tightened on the curtain, the material clenched between his fingers. At once his pupils darkened, his breathing grew deep. The signs were there and she could read them like lines of poetry. How else was a woman to protect herself in the world of men? Li Tao, for all of his supposed cunning, was just another man.

“You do not disappoint,” he said in a low voice.

He dropped into the familiar form of address. The spark in his eyes showed the first hint of any heat beneath the cold exterior.

For a dark moment, she was caught in the call of his gaze. They were close, nearly touching. She had provoked him on purpose, but regretted it as an alarming awareness unfurled itself within her, prickling just beneath her skin. The regiment of soldiers surrounding them faded. There was only one man here she had any fear of.

Monday, November 29, 2010

Dwayne S. Joseph is determined to set himself apart. He’s done relationship drama with novels such as, The Womanizers, In Too Deep and If It Isn’t Love. Now he’s moved on to suspenseful, intense, erotic tales laced with drama, mystery and violence. His most recent novels, Home Wrecker, his upcoming thriller, Betrayal and his 2010 release, Eye For An Eye are testaments to that.

It’s all about growth for Mr. Joseph. He strives to grow and improve with each novel and he feels that’s what the readers deserve. His goal is to entertain his readers with unforgettable storylines and characters that they just can’t stop talking about.

Along with his novels, he has also contributed short stories to A Dollar And A Dream, Gigolos Get Lonely Too, the Essence Best-Seller Around The Way Girls I, and Around The Way Girls 4.

He currently resides in Maryland with his wife and three children, where is hard at work on his next novel, Eye For An Eye, an explosive sequel to Home Wrecker, which has been optioned for film or a television series.

Eye For An Eye

Lisette, the flawless beauty with the take-no-prisoners attitude, is back!

Along with her partners, Marlene and Aida, Lisette continues to ruin marriages at the request of desperate, wealthy wives willing to pay large sums to stick to their husbands. Control is what it’s all about and that’s just what they give the wives back.

Enter Shante Hunt and Vivian Steele. Shante wants Lisette to set up her brother-in-law to prove to her sister that the man she married is no good, while Vivian wants Aida to trap her husband, not to divorce him, but to force him to realize how good he has it at home. It’s business as usual until Lisette’s past comes back to wreak havoc in a major way. Someone is out for revenge and when Lisette finds out who and why, things for both she and Aida, will never be the same again.

Sex, suspense, intense drama and murder…Eye For An Eye is an explosive sequel that will leave you with your mouth hanging wide open.

How did you start out your writing career?

In 2001 I was fortunate enough to have been laid off. While searching for work, which I didn't find until ten months later, I took a novel I had written, titled Choices Men Make and went to a bookstore that had been owned by Carl Weber. At the time he was just starting his own publishing company. I met him and gave him a copy of my novel, and three days later he called me and told me that he wanted to publish it. I say fortunate enough to have been laid off because had I not been, I would have never had the time to seek out a publishing deal.

What did you learn while writing this book?

I learned that revenge takes a lot of planning and patience!

What did you hope to accomplish with this book?

My goal with Eye For An Eye was to surpass Home Wrecker by taking readers on a wild, intense, erotic ride that they would find themselves unable to put down. I don't usually do sequels and I figured if I was going to do one, I had to up the ante on it! Hopefully the readers think I have.

Is the “writer’s life” what you thought it would be?

I don't really know what I envisioned for the "writer's life" really. It's fun being able to do what i love and it's a great feeling to know that readers enjoy the hard word I put into my novels.

Which five characters (can be from books, movies, or tv shows) would you invite over for dinner and why?

Five characters... hmm. Lisette from my novel...would just love to see her work her magic lol! Tennyson Hardwick from Casanegra by Blair Underwood, Tananarive Due and Steven Barnes to ask about his crazy adventures. Any character from Tami Hoag novels so I could ask them what it's like to be created by her! Can't think of any others..this is tough!

What are three things you wish you’d known before you reached where you are now?

Nothing really..I've learned a lot along the way and I've enjoyed the process.

Can you give us one do and one don’t for those aspiring to be a writer?

DO... Study the craft of writing, have patience, take chances and stretch outside of the box with characters and storylines. That's three I know!

DON'T....think that you will have a long career if you don't focus on trying to grow as a writer, don't think that the book is going to sell itself, don't get frustrated when/ if the best seller doesn't happen right away.

Sorry...had to keep the dos and don'ts even!

What one thing about writing do you wish other non-writers would understand?

That writing can be taxing. Creating a storyline, the sequencing, the character development isn't something you can just whip up...not if you are determined to do it the right way.

What was the best advice you’d ever gotten about the publishing industry? The worst?

If you could be a character from any book you've read, who would you be?

I would love to be Tennyson Hardwick, because he's just a cool dude!

Our theme this month is Men In Fiction. What male writer are you reading?

Right now I'm reading Mister X by John Lutz...he's a great mystery suspense writer.

Oprah always asks, What do you know for sure?

I know for sure that I NEVER halfstep when it comes to my writing. Readers will see growth in each book that I do, because growth is extremely important to me. I always try to make sure the readers say "Damn...he surpassed his last book!" Or the vey least that it was "Just as good."

Can you give us a sneak peek of your next book?

I'm currently working on a crazy, dark, twisted erotic, fatal attraction novel, titled, Truth Or Dare, about a wife who falls for a man that targets women online. Vows are broken, regret will set in, and when the woman declares that things can't go any further...craziness will ensue. Of course if the readers know me by now, they know that there is a whole lot of craziness that will go on in-between!

How can readers get in contact with you? (mail, email, website)

Best way to reach me is via my fanpage on www.facebook.com/Dwayne.S.Joseph or my email DJoseph21044@yahoo.com. Of course they can always find me sitting on the left side of the cafe sipping on a latte, while writing at my favorite Barnes & Noble!

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Monday, November 22, 2010

Eric Pete is a national bestselling novelist. His previous works include: Real for Me, Someone’s In the Kitchen, Gets No Love, Don’t Get It Twisted, Lady Sings the Cruels, Blow Your Mind, Sticks and Stones, Reality Check and Crushed Ice. He has also contributed to the anthologies After Hours, Twilight Moods, and On the Line. He currently resides in Texas where he is working on his next novel. His website is http://www.ericpete.com/.

Piano In The Dark

Chase Hidalgo has a successful career, a loving wife, and a loyal best friend, but something is still missing. His unfulfilled dreams leave him unsure of his place in the world. Then a chance meeting with a mysterious stranger changes everything.

Ava claims to know Chase, but he has no memory of ever having met her. Still, something about her intrigues him. She seems to know so much about him; she has insight into his deepest feelings and desires, things he’s never even told his wife. He can’t resist this enigmatic woman, and soon the two are involved in a passionate affair.

It isn’t long before Chase starts to wonder just how Ava knows so much about him. What is their true connection? As he searches for answers, his life is coming apart at the seams, and Chase is beginning to wonder if he’s lost his grip on reality. Ava is a woman who will stop at nothing to regain what she believes she’s lost, and if Chase can’t find the right key to unlock this mystery, there could be dire consequences.

Filled with his trademark unexpected twists, Eric Pete has penned yet another dark, sexy hit that takes readers on a journey to places they never imagined.

How did you start out your writing career?

I've always been the creative sort and had a love of reading as a child. That combined with an imagination and being weened on old late night black & white movies to form the foundation. I never set out to be a writer, but after years of ignoring the voices in my head, I finally gave in at my wife's urging during 1999. That door opened and, ten novels later, I haven't looked back.

What did you learn while writing this book?

Not to allow limits to be set on where my mind takes me.

What did you hope to accomplish with this book?

An exploration of unfulfilled lives. To look at outcomes shaped by pivotal events and how similar or different things might have been with subtle changes in those events.

I also wanted to do another fusion of genres like I had with Crushed Ice, but something completely different...taking the fantastic and bringing it down to an everyday level.

Is the “writer’s life” what you thought it would be?

I'm wasn't sure what to expect when I began this, but it has definitely exceeded it in most of the highs and some of the lows. It has profoundly shaped me as a human being and how I see the world. I've been blessed to have been exposed to so many positive, wonderful people.

What are three things you wish you’d known before you reached where you are now?

How strong an influence fads/trends can have on the publishing industry.

How to have more wisely/efficiently spent my money when operating as a self-published author.

Can you give us one do and one don’t for those aspiring to be a writer?

Do-Do your own research on the business. Don't expect all answers to be given to you because for some things there isn't a catch-all answer.

Don't-Don't let criticism destroy your spirit.

What one thing about writing do you wish other non-writers would understand?

We're far from rich. A majority of us continue to work our "day jobs". If you go into this expecting to be an overnight success and write for purely financial dreams, then you're in the wrong business. I know you said "one thing", but here's one more. Writing is a solitary task. In order to do what we love, it sometimes requires us to shut off from others to get things done. Nothing personal.

What is something readers would be surprised you do?

I'm a big time comic book reader/collector.

If you could be a character from any book you've read, who would you be?

Whoo. That would be a tough one. Maybe a knight of the roundtable. I'm happy with who I am...at the moment.

Our theme this month is Men In Fiction. What male writer are you reading?

I'm in the middle of working on a project, so not reading at the moment. The next thing from a male writer that I will pick up is probably by Dwayne S. Joseph, Eric Jerome Dickey or James Rollins.

Oprah always asks, What do you know for sure?

That I am blessed to be loved and to love in return.

Can you give us a sneak peek of your next book?

A little too early to discuss the project that I'm in the middle of, but I also hope to revisit my character Truth from Crushed Ice real soon.

Saturday, November 20, 2010

Where innocent sleeps . . . Evil lurks! Twenty-year old Janeen Cooper wasn't born with the best of anything. But one thing she knew for sure, her mother loved her and wanted nothing but the best for her only child. When Janeen's mother dies unexpectedly, her life takes a drastic turn and she winds up in the one place she was warned to never go, Williamston , NC . Convinced there's no chance for happiness, Janeen meets Sheriff Sergeant Adam Sinclair. Adam has money. He has power. And he has the charm to win her trust. She quickly learns, however, that he is not the saint he appears to be and is forced to leave the state with just the clothes on her back. In a new city , Janeen tries to start over again. Yet, she is still haunted by the events that transpired prior to her untimely departure: the mysterious disappearance of someone she loves dearly and a possible murder plot involving her former lover. Longing for the truth, Janeen makes a bold decision to return to Williamston. There she faces the biggest challenge of her life. She must confront Adam. Ultimately, she makes a shocking discovery that could destroy his family's name. It could also mean her death.

From short stories to poetry to novels, Sheila Peele-Miller is not afraid to follow her passion. Although an art major in college, she was drawn to creative writing. Using life around her as a foundation, she began to create what would later become her first novel, Painted Picture, released in 2004 and self-published under ADIRA Books, a company she founded. Miller’s sophomore novel, Daylight Coming was released in 2006. Her most recent book, Prey for the Wicked, was released September 2010.

In addition to her small collection of novels, Miller has created and designed a Memoir Writing Journal. She has contributed a short story, titled, The Devil’s Poison to The Shattered Glass Effect, an anthology depicting the effects of HIV/AIDS in the African American community and has written articles for Style-ology magazine. Her credited works are: Obama: A Time for Change and Child Maid Trafficking.

Miller hones her craft by teaching creative writing and publishing workshops anywhere possible. She has co-hosted an African American Read-In in Chicago and Detroit, and is the co-founder of the annual New Bern Literary Festival and Book Fair in New Bern, North Carolina. Miller lives in Chicago with her husband. She is the mother of four and the grandmother of two.

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Friday, November 19, 2010

Speaker, Educator, and author, Terrance Dean, is the author of the Essence Magazine best-seller Hiding In Hip Hop - On the Down Low in the Entertainment Industry from Music to Hollywood (Simon & Schuster/Atria Books - May 2008). He is also the author of Reclaim Your Power! A 30-Day Guide to Hope, Healing and Inspiration for Men of Color (Random House/Villard - May 2003). Dean also conceived the idea and concept for a tribute book, Visible Lives: Three Stories in Tribute to E. Lynn Harris, (Kensington – May 2010), for his dear friend and mentor, New York Times best-selling author, the late E. Lynn Harris. Dean’s most recent highly-anticipated advice book, Straight From Your Gay Best Friend – The Straight-Up Truth About Relationships, Work, and Having a Fabulous Life! has been released with Agate/Bolden Books in October 2010.

Dean has worked in the entertainment industry for over 15 years, from 1993 to 2008, with heavy hitters such as Spike Lee, Rob Reiner, Keenan Ivory Wayans, and Anjelica Houston. He has worked with television and film production companies such as B.E.T., Savoy Television, Paramount Pictures, Warner Bros. Pictures, and Sony Pictures. Most recently, Dean worked with MTV Networks for over six years helping to produce live award shows and events including MTV Video Music Awards, Movie Awards, Hip Hop Honors, Rock Honors, Sports & Music Festival, and Choose or Lose.

Dean is also the founder/creator of Men’s Empowerment, Inc. It is an organization that is dedicated to the transformation of men of color in their communities for their own self-empowerment. The not-for-profit organization is a hugely popular empowerment group, which allows men of color to communicate, share and participate in an environment where brothers can “check their egos at the door” and create bonding relationships with one another.

STRAIGHT FROM YOUR GAY BEST FRIEND - The Straight Up Truth About Relationships, Work and Having A Fabulous Life!

In today’s society every woman needs a gay best friend—someone who gives it to her straight about life, clothes, sex, and relationships. From the inner city to suburbia, a gay best friend has become the new must-have for women.

Terrance Dean can be your new gay best friend. In Straight From Your Gay Best Friend he gives women terrific insights and advice on some of life’s most challenging issues—family, friends, career, love, sex, and intimate relationships. Dean offers direct and to-the-point perspectives, mixed with a little sass, wit, humor, forwardness, and spirituality, as only a gay man can do.

Dean also dedicates a chapter to the most controversial topic in the black community—down-low gay men. He writes, “I am often asked by women, ‘How can I tell if my man is on the down low?’ Or, ‘What are some signs I need to look out for so I do not end up in a relationship with a down-low man?’ This chapter will help women identify if the man they are in a relationship with or considering dating may be on the down low.”

This book will help women discover the power they need for a life of abundant success, prosperity, and happiness with loving relationships. It dispenses practical advice and tips on creating healthy relationships with themselves and any man they desire. And it’s all done from a place of love.

How did you start out your writing career?

My writing career began very early in life. I would keep journals and write everything that was happening in my life. I wanted to see the patterns in my life, where I was going, and the people involved. I was always looking for a spiritual evolution to who I was. I wanted to grow up and beyond what I knew.

What did you learn while writing this book?

I learned that we are all children of God. We are divinely created for a greater purpose. I also learned that women are beautiful, divine, and spiritual creatures who need reminding of who they are. Despite where the information comes from, if it’s from a pure, honest, and truthful space, we can all benefit from a powerful message.

What did you hope to accomplish with this book?

I hope readers will walk away with a sense of empowerment and inspiration. Women are naturally powerful, fabulous, and intelligent. In my book, I only reinforce what they already know, and remind them of who they are. Sometimes we forget who we are and what we are here to do, especially when it comes to dealing with other people. My book is intended to provide women with some assistance on their journeys, remind them of their inheritance of what is good and true. I also want every woman to know that no matter what, no one can take away your true divine place in this world. You have a purpose, and your whole life and whatever you desire all depend on you recognizing your purpose.

Is the “writer’s life” what you thought it would be?

The writer’s life is everything I thought and hoped it would be. There is so much peace and happiness in knowing your purpose and discovering what you are meant to be doing. I love my life, the gift I have, and the ability to share my words, and voice with the world.

What are three things you wish you’d known before you reached where you are now?

I wish I’d known I can have it all. I don’t have to compromise. I can say ‘No!’

Can you give us one do and one don’t for those aspiring to be a writer?

Trust your voice, and what you write. It’s the source of life, and a gift from God. Don’t let anyone tell you what you can and cannot do, or write. And, don’t get caught up in the hype. Always be humble. Be grateful and thankful for your career, talent, and fans.

What one thing about writing do you wish other non-writers would understand?

I wish non-writers really understood that writing is an art, a talent. We need the support of our fans, and communities. The books are imprints of spiritual light left on this earth and will affect, and change people’s minds. It’s because of our unique experiences as people of color and diversity that varied stories exist, and we need to support one another.

What was the best advice you’d ever gotten about the publishing industry? The worst?

The best advice I received was from an editor who told me to write what I knew. That unleashed within me the ability to write stories, and be who I am. The worst advice was from an agent who told me that I couldn’t write fiction. She refused to read any of my fiction work, and told me to focus on non-fiction books. Needless to say, she was wrong!

What is something readers would be surprised you do?

Readers would be surprised to know that I love driving alone. Just me, my iPod (music), and observing God’s picturesque landscape across our country. I drive everywhere. I am not a big fan of flying.

Our theme this month is Men In Fiction. What male writer are you reading?

What I know for sure is that God loves me. I know I have been blessed with the ability to be a writer and share words that touch, move, and inspire. I know to put no man before God, and I only trust Him. And, I know I have many more books in me.

Can you give us a sneak peek of your next book?

My next book is being released June 2011. It is called, MOGUL. It is my first full-length novel about an entertainment executive. It’s juicy, scandalous, and riveting!

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

TERENCE TAYLOR is an award-winning children's television writer whose work's appeared on PBS, Nickelodeon, and Disney, among many others. After a career of comforting young kids, he's now equally dedicated to scaring their parents. His short horror stories have been published in all three "Dark Dreams" horror/suspense anthologies. His first novel, BITE MARKS: A Vampire Testament, came out in September of 2009. BLOOD PRESSURE: A Vampire Testament, second in the opening trilogy of the continuing Vampire Testaments, was released March 30th, 2010. He is hard at work on the close of the opening trilogy, “PAST LIFE: A Vampire Testament”.

He lives quietly in Brooklyn and laughs a lot between acts of literary carnage.

Blood Pressure: A Vampire Testament

The secret war between vampires and humans escalates and the world will never be the same again…

Christopher Jude Miller – fully grown and still human – has returned to New York to seek answers about his past. It is there he meets Joie, a young woman connected to his past, and falls into a twisted love triangle. He and Joie also realize that the magical forces that made both their lives possible have unexpected side effects, as they discover that united they have abilities neither knew of before - including the power to cure vampires.

Created after the incidents that brought in the National Guard to contain the vampire zombie plague on the Lower East Side, Clean Slate Global is a covert ops organization formed to rid the world of vampires, run by ex-deputy mayor Jonathan Richmond. But Richmond unleashes an ancient evil with darker motives. It plots to use Christopher and Joie’s power to eliminate all vampires from the Earth…with the exception of its own new and improved indestructible army of the undead.

In children's television. I wanted to be a movie director in college, took a lot of film courses and fell in love with the medium. To me it combined art and story, I had design skills and could write some -- it seemed the perfect place to combine my dual talents. After graduation my film teacher recommended me for a job as a production assistant trainee on a low budget kids' show funded by the New York State Education Department. It was called Vegetable Soup, and was designed to teach kids what we now call "multiculturalism", with stories and segments that taught children about different cultures, and to respect people who act or believe differently than you. We could use a revival of it today. I got my first writing credit there, an adaptation of the folk tale Stone Soup, and kept going from there. It was a great job that gave me the chance to write scripts at a time when there were only a handful of black writers in television.

I hadn't really done much writing up until then -- I'd been editor in chief of the high school magazine the year my friends and I took it over and tried to turn it into the National Lampoon, which was popular then. But I only wrote one or two pieces. I'd write down ideas, but was slow to develop them -- I'm baring my youthful procrastination to encourage all those late life writers -- I'd find a million reasons not to write, then start stories and not finish them…as soon as they got harder to write, as stories always do at some point, I'd jump to a new idea. I spent this summer cleaning out all the storage boxes in the house and closet and found the box I'd packed the writing fragments of decades into. I'm looking forward to spending a long cold winter's night putting off new writing by flipping through my past…

My current career as a novelist began during a long period of no script work in L.A. I had a little time to try my hand more seriously at fiction, and sent out a few stories that got rejected. Despite that, there was enough encouragement in my rejection letters to make me decide to finish a vampire novel I'd been poking at since the 1980s. When I realized I had enough money in the bank to move back to Brooklyn or pay one more month's bills in L.A., I decided to move back and finish the book. I'd rented out my loft when I left New York or I'd never have been able to move home! I'm totally behind that "The Rent's Too High" party guy running for governor.

The book wasn't the only reason I moved home. My mother was in her seventies and I wanted to move closer so my sisters weren't alone in her care, which was a good thing as her health started failing shortly after my return. I was lucky enough to find freelance graphics work I could do at home, while I ran back and forth to my mom's assisted living apartment nearby. In five years I'd finished the novel, found an agent, and they got me a two book deal with St. Martin's Press. You really, really must understand that in saying that I'm compressing two painfully long years of maternal care and agonizing rejection by more agents than J.K. Rowling before I found the right match. I'll be writing that book later.

What did you learn while writing this book?

I found my voice as a writer finishing the first novel. The second reinforced it. I was lucky in that my agents came from an editorial background, and knew what would and wouldn't fly with publishers. They loved the story but not the form. It was my first novel, so fortunately I was willing to listen. They gave me four pages of notes on the manuscript, culled from a meeting with two other readers they brought in. The end result was a series of questions about things they still wanted to know as readers that I sulked about for two days, then set out to answer. Like my editor, they asked me the right questions, and didn't suggest the answers, which is what I consider the best kind of notes. It took me a year to rewrite, but at the end of that year, I knew how much work and research I really needed to do as a novelist. More importantly, I discovered the things about life I had to say, and learned to distinguish them from what the characters have to say.

I also learned to enjoy the process of writing itself more than ever. Public readings, reviews, checks, all of that is well and good, but pass quickly. A life in writing is mostly spent in a room alone by yourself, and I've learned to love the process of building and shaping a story, getting to know the characters and following them through the world I've created more than the completion. Finishing a book is actually kind of depressing. Post-partum depressing. Your characters are done with you and you have to find a new world and circle of imaginary friends to play with.

What did you hope to accomplish with this book?

I wanted to be a novelist and now I feel I am. It's a very particular kind of writing and takes a particular form of discipline. I wanted to finish my first novel and finish it well -- for me that meant publication. By getting a two book deal, I proved that to myself better than I could have hoped. Beyond that, I can only hope for enough sales to keep me published, and past that, enough sales for my books to support me while I write more. These two books set me on a path I can't leave now -- I'm a novelist now, it's what I think I do better than anything else I do and I can't bring myself to stop.

Is the “writer’s life” what you thought it would be?

Ha! The best in a list of good questions. It is so not what I thought it would be. But nothing I've ever asked for has been what I thought it would be when I got it. I like that I have more respect for myself as a writer now, and more respect for the processes of writing. I don't like that I still have to remind myself to work as hard telling the world about the books as I do writing them. That whole "not hiding your light under a bushel" thing. It will get more automatic as I get used to it -- mostly I've found that book promotion is endlessly talking about yourself, which my friends complain I do too much anyway. So it's just learning to keep my stories shorter and to the point, which can only benefit my friends if those habits drift into my every day life.

More than anything, I find that I'm inventing my writer's life is as I get deeper into it. There are as many different ways to be a writer as there are writers, and just as I've tried not to follow any one path in anything else in my life, I'm trying to keep an open mind about everything that comes next in this.

Which five characters (can be from books, movies, or tv shows) would you invite over for dinner and why?

The Wicked Witch of the West, from "Wicked" or the original, because she has a story to tell and is a renowned lady of color, even if its green. Mr. Spock, first gen, though maybe the older Spock from the new movie -- more multiculturalism, I always liked and identified with his struggles with identity. Hannibal Lechter, though he won't be allowed in the kitchen. Just a very complex villain who often slips into sympathy and a great conversationalist on a variety of topics. Easy Rawlins, for tips on survival. He had a better run than most. Hm. Last…hell, Wanda Sykes. She cracks me up, and she is a character, even if non-fictional. But she could even get a laugh out of Spock.

What are three things you wish you’d known before you reached where you are now?

One -- that you're never done with anything when you think you're done with it. Two -- that when your fondest wish in the world comes true, it comes with strings you never imagined, asked for or want, but that's okay and you roll with it. Third, to appreciate each step on the path, which I finally do. Every inch forward no matter how slow is a different view and a whole new world of its own, and it's too easy to get so caught up in looking ahead that you don't see and enjoy the progress you're making day to day.

Can you give us one do and one don’t for those aspiring to be a writer?

There is no such thing as an aspiring writer. As Yoda said, do or no do, is no try. You either write or you don't. Period. That said, DO write, write often, and learn to enjoy it so much that you'd be happy if there was no reward in it but that. DON'T spend more time coming up with excuses for not writing than you spend writing.

What one thing about writing do you wish other non-writers would understand?

That no matter how easy the final product may make our writing look, it's not. The simplest, purest line can take hours of agonizing rewrites and discards.

That it is both a lonely profession in that you spend long hours alone in a room or in your head, and that you are really never alone, but roaming a wild wood of your own invention that can sometimes seem better than the real world. Ask us out. It's good for us every now and then.

Most importantly, that half the time we're telling you about something we're working on we're really telling ourselves, and that when we stop halfway through to say -- "Duh, that's exactly what it is, isn't it…?", forget that you're in the room and start scribbling, you should just give us a moment. We'll be back.

Oh. And that when you attack our writing, you attack our children, and we will defend it the same way you would if someone physically or verbally attacked your child. You can make your point without making us hurt you.

Damn. That was four, wasn't it? The fifth is that it's hard to shut up a writer. The first is the most important.

What was the best advice you’d ever gotten about the publishing industry? The worst?

The best is that the writer's job on a book doesn't end when it's sold. A whole other job on that book begins, as successful published writers assured me when I started. The worst? I've gotten remarkably little bad advice. Though I would like people to stop asking why don't I make a movie of the books, or would I "let them" -- I'd love to see movies made, but my opinion means very little. I want to tell people who ask, "Get me a hundred million books sales worldwide, and I'll take you to the premiere…" That's what gets movies made. Book sales. It's like telling someone their new baby should be president. It's not really my call, but thanks, I'd love it!

What is something readers would be surprised you do?

Laugh. A lot. Maybe not. There is humor in my books, dark as it may be. But I like to say that I work in horror, I don't live there. I watch horror and suspense films and shows as research, some because I love them, but I enjoy as much comedy as I can, especially when it makes me laugh at the real world like The Daily Show and The Colbert Report. I grew up with that Reader's Digest line, "Laughter is the best medicine" and always believed it. I was raised Catholic and always thought that Jesus must have had a good strong laugh -- with a following like his he had to have had a good sense of humor. And he did knock out some great one-liners, like "It's easier for a camel to get through the eye of a needle than it is for a rich man to get into heaven…" I mean, classic stuff.

If you could be a character from any book you've read, who would you be?

Hm. I honestly can't imagine, which wasn't always the case. I can say today that I wouldn't want to be anyone but me right now, for better and worse. It's taken a long time to be able to say that, too.

Our theme this month is Men In Fiction. What male writer are you reading?

I just finished Stieg Larsson's The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. My second book was stacked next to it in Borders as summer reading, and I saw the movie on Netflix, so I was curious. It is a best seller, after all, and the fact that he died as mysteriously as one of his characters makes it all the more interesting. There is a rumor that his ex-wife actually wrote all the books, and is bargaining for her piece of the inheritance (he died without a will) with an unpublished fourth manuscript in the series. If that's true, I suppose he's not the male writer I'm reading…

Oprah always asks, What do you know for sure?

How little I know. I mean, I'm smart and all that, and I've seen a lot and learned a lot, but the older I get the more I realize how little we all know, and how funny some of what we believe will seem to people living a couple hundred years from now. There are things I was so sure of when I was in my twenties and thirties that I know now were just silly to believe. I believe more and doubt less these days.

Can you give us a sneak peek of your next book?

The Vampire Testaments continue with PAST LIFE, set twenty years from now in 2028, so there are "futuristic" elements involved, though I class it more as speculative social fiction than sci-fi vamps. The mad vampire Tom O'Bedlam has succeeded in turning the Earth into the Blood World of his dreams, and our heroes, human and vampire, are all returning to New York to stop him once and for all. To say any more would give away too much for people who haven't read BLOOD PRESSURE yet. It's a return to the dark of the first book, with higher stakes, but it's also about redemption, so I'm hoping things turn out well for all involved with a brighter ending. I never really know until I get there.

Here's a sneak peek at part of an early chapter of PAST LIFE for those who've read the first two books:

Chapter Two

4:32 p.m. - Shanghai - 4 October, 2028

Joie runs for her life, not knowing where she is or why.
Raging thunderclouds snarl at her from the horizon, vicious as mad dogs. Joie watches them rush toward her across the darkening sky, big storm rising, a bad one. When she was a little girl her mother let her sleep in her bed on nights like this. Terrified by the lightning and thunder, she’d always felt safe when she was snuggled by her mother’s side, protected under warm sheets and blankets, sheltered safely in the warm civilized heart of Park Slope. That would be all she’d need to make it through this night.
But her mother was a world away.
Joie’s twins, Sarah Louise and Annie Elizabeth, tall at twenty, lean as gazelles, race ahead of her, leap from clearing to clearing between wrecked cars as if they know where they are going even if she doesn’t. Joie follows them down the street, not even sure in what city they are in, only that it isn’t theirs. She shouts, unheard by her daughters over the shrieking winds. Lightning licks at their heels as the rains finally come, a heavy downpour, thick and scarlet, a torrent of blood that fills the streets, rises in a tsunami to sweep away cars and pedestrians, tore open doors and windows to pour inside.
Joie reaches for her daughters, grips their arms and holds them tight as they are swept with the current into a light pole. She wraps an arm around it, clings fast to keep the river of blood from carrying them all away as she holds onto her twins with the other.
A bright glow rises in the distance. Red waters part as if for Moses. The source of the light is a tall blond man who raises a hand and exposes dry asphalt, walks along the dotted white line of the cleared street to their side. The storm stills around him as if he travels in its eye, or as if the storm moves with him, keeping a safe distance. He pulls Joie to her feet and reveals his face. It’s Christopher Jude Miller, the twin’s biological father. As his daughters hug him, overjoyed, he looks down at Joie, still taller than she is by a good head. His bluer than blue eyes, blue as Sarah and Annie’s, are filled with tears. He hasn’t changed since the last time she saw him, twenty years ago. His pale hair glows with a saintly light as he speaks to her, mouths words so softly she almost can’t hear him before she wakes from the dream…
Come home.
Come home and set me free.

Monday, November 15, 2010

Anjuelle Floyd is a wife of twenty-eight years, mother of three, licensed Marriage and Family Therapist specializing in mother-daughter relations and dream work.

A graduate of Duke University, she received her MA in Counseling Psychology from The California Institute of Integral Studies, San Francisco. She has attended the Dominican Institute of Philosophy and Theology, Berkeley, California, and received her MFA in Creative Writing from Goddard College, Port Townsend, Washington. She has received certificates of participation from The Hurston-Wright Writers’ Week and The Voices of Our Nations Writing Workshops.

A student of Process Painting for the last decade, Anjuelle has participated in The Art of Living Black Exhibitions 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2010 held at the Richmond Art Center, Richmond, California.

Anjuelle facilitates writing groups and provides individual consultation of fiction projects. She also gives talks on The Need for Family, the Writing Process as a Path Toward Self-discovery and Healing.

Anjuelle, tell us about The House.

The House is a work of Women’s Fiction that explores the life of Anna Manning when on receiving the divorce she has requested and the opportunity to see their home, she learns that her husband of over 3 decades is dying.

The underlying theme of The House is that all of us hold regret for one action or another that we have committed. And if given the chance we would change or alter that action or make another choice. As such we are all seeking forgiveness.

All of us have injured someone. And all of us have experienced emotional hurt.

And yet ultimately our salvation, our ability to transcend the wounds and turmoil of this life rest in the co-creative hands of others and ourselves in our ability to seek atonement for the wrongs we have committed, particularly to those we love and who love us, and in our ability to forgive.

How did you come up with ideas for this book?

Interestingly I wrote The House while taking a class entitled Story Basics. Having earned my MFA in Creative Writing I was scheduled to teach the class in a masters level writing programs. My experience as a student in the class served as training for me to teach it.

The main primer for the class, Story Basics, is Writing for Story by Jon Franklin, a Pulitzer Prize Winning Essayist. In Writing for Story, Franklin addresses the importance of career writers learning to develop an outline or blueprint for writing their fiction.

Upon graduating my MFA program I began exploring various ways and methods for planning out my stories and novels, but that also left enough undiscovered territory that I gained even more excitement to write the story. I wanted to develop or find an outline that fueled my desire to write, not take it away with planning to point of leaving no mystery.

The Franklin Outline as explained in Writing For Story did that for me.

A requirement of the class is to use Franklin’s Outline or some variation thereof to plan a story or novel and then write the story or beginning of the novel, about 10,000 words.

I had intended to write a short story.

Having written 10,000 words by the end of the first of 15 weeks evidenced the outline worked for me.

Creating characters has always been easy. Developing a way to keep the story moving and not bogged down in dispensing information about a protagonist’s personality has presented my greatest challenge.

Plotting stories is where my growth points lay, most specifically deciding where and when to dispense what knowledge, as deemed by the action, interaction and conflict at hand.

The Franklin Outline cleared the path for me to write by giving me a road map, while leaving the territory untouched.

Following the blueprint I created for my story, I simply wrote plot--action, what was happening, the cause-and-effect movement of the narrative. Unlike with other stories I had written I uncovered or rather realized the personalities of my characters along the way as I wrote. This is much like what readers experience when reading a good story.

The writer does not throw at readers everything about characters all at once. Rather she or he drops breadcrumbs as demanded by the action in scenes. The action in scenes is essentially plot.

Since writing The House I have modified my method for sketching stories and novels, but Job Franklin’s Method of outlining a work of fiction sits at the heart of how I plan.

The Franklin outline helps me chart where the story is destined, and yet I have no idea the roads that the story will take in getting there--i.e. discovery.

This makes writing less stressful and fun and ultimately allows me to write more deeply of the places action and experiences my protagonist undergoes along the journey.

It’s hard to say which character of The House is my favorite. I love them all so very, very much. Each one is like a piece of a mosaic, a note on a sheet of music, the line of a poem.

Of course I love Anna and feel very dear to her, but as in life, the protagonist of a novel or short story or any work of fiction is known by her or his associates.

Take away or eliminate one and you’ve lost an important chord or refrain that keeps alive the music, the creation, in your thoughts and heart.

If I had to choose one entity, it would be The House, a character I did not mention, but who plays an incredibly important role in the novel. The Manning home, the house in which so much of the drama of the novel occurs provides not only a crucible, containing the Manning Family. It is also where Edward dies. It is the house he built and the place that Anna, despite their challenges, made a home, one into which Edward sought to retreat and through her compassion and regrets, Anna made safe in which for him to die.

If only we all could make the transition from this life into the next at home.

Did you have to do quite a bit of research for this novel?

No, I simply wrote from the heart. Then again, I celebrated my 28th anniversary in July and I am a mother of three. I am also a psychotherapist. These three aspects of my life allow me a level of comfort in writing about family matters.

Marriage provides an education into matters of the heart and those of human intimacy. As with anything, the more you work at something the more you learn and discover. Children also add to one’s education.

Our children are ages 23 years, 18 years and 11 years. As a wife and parent you automatically encounter people through your spouse and children. Within every person lives a thriving universe. An exponential amount of knowledge, wisdom and understanding, immeasurable discoveries await us if we but watch, and more importantly, listen.

Inherent to my work as a psychotherapist is that of listening to the stories of clients. There is a way we tell and deliver stories. The structure of that delivery reveals how we have or have not integrated the change that came about in our lives from which the narrative arises.

Stories, as are life are about change. Transformation stands central to fiction. With the evolution of character and plot that any entertaining and engaging story possess we have nothing but a string of episodes that leave us wondering and confused as to what has taken place, more over why we ever read it in the first place.

Carl Jung postulated that the house symbolizes the human psyche, mind and soul. Within my novel, The House, we see a family coming together in a time of crisis. All are or have been bruised and worn by life in which each other is central to the crises and discoveries of those closest to them. And yet the pieces come together. Change comes, throughout the course of novel, bringing with it grace and healing.

What do you hope readers will learn/discover from reading The House?

I hope that in reading The House readers will gain a glimpse of how we are all wounded and injured by life, and how each of us holds the key to another’s healing. And that by granting love, acceptance and forgiveness to those whom we love the most and who love us, we lay the ground work for our own hearts to mend.

I emphasize loving those who are closest to us, because I thoroughly believe that “charity does begin at home”.

If we cannot love those with whom we sleep, and whose faces we behold upon opening our eyes and before we leave home for the day, we have no hope of accepting and respecting others we encounter at work and beyond the scope of family.

I can only hope that readers will gain a glimpse of not so much what and who we are presently, but be provoked to inspect the integrity of the intent of our hearts and ultimately determine whether they, we, are living from that place. And if not, begin to do so.

Okay, a not-so-fun question. How important are reviews to you as a writer?

I have heard it said that reviews are not that important. In the past when most reviewers worked for newspapers and magazines I think that was the case. Most well-read individuals, and I think that readers are incredibly intelligent, knew that money dominated who wrote what about said book.

As we know the Internet has transformed the way we connect, publicity, and advertising in all aspects of commerce and entertainment, not the least of which is publishing. Part and parcel to this Amazon.com has simultaneously transformed the way we purchase. The interruption type advertising demonstrated on television commercials have lost their ability to suggest and influence what we buy.

Consumers like to read about a product in private, learn about those behind the development of a product.

We also want to know and have also come to respect what others think and write about said product. The integrity of reviewers of any product stands higher when the reviewer is not paid. Deep down we know these reviewers receive some compensation. And we would not have it any other way.

That writing reviews is not a part of their job for which they are paid and upon which they depend to earn a salary leaves us trusting them more than magazine and newspaper reviewers.

Amazon lists these reviews.

I read the reviews on Amazon when contemplating purchasing a product I have not previously used. I also read them for products that I have used but now want to compare against a similar product.

I do the same with books.

And I have found that the reviews on Amazon to be trustworthy. It means something to me when a person, who is not receiving a salary and who is also or has been a fan of a certain author takes the time to write a review for which she or he receives only the joy of having written that review. It tells me something about the product or book I am researching. It tells me something about the author.

I also like seeing how many visitors like myself found a various review helpful.

Reviews of this type are incredibly important.

Even the negative reviews play an important role. And I am speaking from the perspective of a creator of the product.

Everyone is not going to like the same thing.

As a writer and author I try to craft the best story possible with the understanding that every reviewer will not like my story or the perspective nor the moral and/or emotional stance it takes. My goal is to make sure that my story or novel is well-written, that no reviewer can say that they were confused by the plot or the protagonist’s choices that were out of kilter with her or his personality.

In crafting a story or novel I seek to honor the fundamentals of constructing and organizing a story so that the reader can relax, feel safe to and engage with the characters. I poured my heart and soul into writing a rough draft and then through revising and editing, and revising and editing and doing both some more, I work to making that story or novel the best it can be.

On completing this I release the story and begin writing and/or refining my next novel.

Doing this I feel that no review is truly a bad review, rather it either supports my work or enlightens me to something my creation contained, something that is potent and pure that some find interesting and helpful and that perhaps frightens or disturbs others.

And that tells me that my writing and characters are alive and well.

About the Book

On receiving the very thing she wants—a divorce and the power to sell their house—over which they have fought the past year—Anna Manning learns that Edward, her soon-to-be ex-husband is dying from cancer.

A faithful wife for three decades, and stay-at-home mother of four children, Anna endured Edward’s constant absence due to travel for his international real estate firm and numerous extra-marital affairs. With their children now adults, Edward has less than six months, possibly three, to live.

Anna takes him home to die in the house she has fought so vigorously to sell. But letting go of someone who has caused so much pain in your life doesn’t come easily. Edward has changed. There are Anna and Edward’s four children, three of whom who are married and struggling to endow their families with meaning and purpose.

News of Edward’s terminal illness provokes her to understand the present, rooted in a wellspring of the past and pouring into a future without him.

The House shows what happens when one adopts the belief that: All hold regret and are seeking forgiveness. Our salvation rests in the hands of others—most particularly the ones we love, and who have treated us wrongly.

To celebrate the release of her novel, The House, author Anjuelle Floyd is offering a (1) Kindle Wi-Fi (retail value: $139.00) as a part of her promotional blog tour. A WINNER WILL BE ANNOUNCED DECEMBER 1, 2010.

Friday, November 12, 2010

The Chronicles of the Haulm Boys is the prelude to The MPire: In Search of the Lost. Meet the Haulm Boys, brothers who are members of the elite Four Horsemen. They are responsible for keeping the balance of power between Angels and Humans. However, in their daily lives, they must learn to conquer their own demons and battle one another for dominance.

Eldest brother Marc Haulm (Pestilence) desperately tries to keep the balance between embarking on his new identity as the leader of the next generation and caring for his severely mentally ill father, Malcolm Haulm.

Marek Haulm (War), after separating from the family to pursue his personal dream of joining the Marines, he must resolve the familial betrayal consequences of his decisions.

Attempting to stay out of The Family limelight, Marlon Haulm (Famine) lays low and enjoys his life before he is summoned to join his family in Austin, Texas.

Mallory Towneson Haulm (Death) is thought dead by his oldest brother after he was whisked away by a threatening force. Is he dead or will he return home just in time to save the next generation?

Thursday, November 11, 2010

Wahida Clark was born and raised in Trenton, New Jersey. She is no stranger to the hard work and sacrifices that breeds success. This Jersey girl owned and operated multiple businesses in Trenton, NJ and Decatur, GA. She decided to write street fiction while incarcerated at the women's Federal Prison Camp in Lexington, Kentucky.

She was crowned the Queen of Thug Love Fiction by Nikki Turner, the Queen of Hip Hop Fiction. Wahida's style of writing is the 'TEMPLATE' for street lit.

Wahida is the first Street Lit author to land multiple publishing deals with two major publishers all while serving an eight and a half years federal prison sentence. She says it wasn’t easy.

At press, she has just completed the follow up to Payback is a Mutha, entitled, Payback With Ya Life and is now working on ‘Thug Luvin’, part 4 to her ‘Thug ‘ Series. She is also Vice President of the non-profit organization, “Prodigal Sons and Daughters,” a re-entry program for those previously incarcerated, as well as support group for at-risk youth.

The Golden Hustla

All of Georgia law enforcement is aware that WMM Advertising-also known as "We Make Millionaires"-is one of the biggest and hardest-to-penetrate fraudulent telemarketing firms in the state. But when a tape recording of a man's death surfaces that may involve WMM, Atlanta homicide detective Danny Houser realizes that he may actually have the smoking gun needed to go after the firm. All he needs is someone inside WMM to sniff out the company's secrets. Soon he sets his sights on Alexis Greenspan, aka Nina Coles, the telemarketer's top sales associate. Approaching retirement, Houser will do everything in his power to manipulate Coles and solve this one last case...no matter who gets hurt in the process.

How did you start out your writing career?

I worked in the prison library so I was surrounded by books. Books that I knew that I could write just as well or even better. I discovered that writing was something I could do while incarcerated. I saw that I could establish a cushion for when it was time for me to step into the free world.

What did you learn while writing this book?

I’ve written ten books. Each one teaches me discipline.

What did you hope to accomplish with this book?

It’s a step up and I want to broaden my audience.

Is the “writer’s life” what you thought it would be?

I didn’t know that along with the celebrity comes nonstop work. I didn’t know that writing was so much work. Completing a book is just the beginning.

Which five characters (can be from books, movies, or TV shows) would you invite over for dinner and why?

Mr. and Mrs. Obama, Uncle Yah Yah, Donald Trump and Dr. Cornell West. Knowledge, wisdom and understanding attracts me and I can get all of that hands down from these 5 greats.

What are three things you wish you’d known before you reached where you are now?

1- The amount of discipline it takes to write

2- The business side of writing

3- More prepared for controversy

Can you give us one do and one don’t for those aspiring to be a writer?

1- Don’t be lazy

2- You have to read and you have to write

What one thing about writing do you wish other non-writers would understand?

It’s serious. It is not a game.

What was the best advice you’d ever gotten about the publishing industry? The worst?

The best advice was that I could do it. The worst would be self-publishing. Self publishing is a real heavy load.

What is something readers would be surprised you do?

Love basketball! To watch not play. lol

If you could be a character from any book you've read, who would you be?

Uncle Yah Yah, the 21st Century Man of Wisdom

Our theme this month is Men In Fiction. What male writer are you reading?

Al Dickens and I hope to squeeze in Eric Jerome Dickey’s latest. He is one of my absolute favorites.

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

About the AuthorMichelle Stimpson is an author, a speaker, and an educator who received her Bachelor of Science degree from Jarvis Christian College in 1994. She earned a Master’s in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Texas at Arlington in 2002. She has had the pleasure of teaching elementary, middle, and high school as well as training adults. In addition to her work in the field of education, Michelle ministers through writing and public speaking. Her works include Boaz Brown, Breaking Bondage to Biscuits, Divas of Damascus Road (National Bestseller), The Good Stuff, Trouble In My Way, and the upcoming release, Last Temptation. She has written and published over 40 short stories through her educational publishing company at www.WeGottaRead.com. She also ministers to women through her online newsletter: www.womengrowinginchrist.com.Michelle lives near Dallas with her husband and their two teenage children. She is active in the Creative Tyme Ministry at her home church, Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship. Visit Michelle online at http://www.michellestimpson.com/.

About the BookPatricia “Peaches” Miller finally has the man and the ring she always wanted, but she’s not quite ready to turn in her Independent-Woman-Card to follow her follow her future husband’s dreams. When her ex suddenly becomes re-interested in her, Peaches wonders if she owes it to her son to give his father one more chance. But this last temptation hurls Peaches down a dangerous road that tests her relationships, her faith, and even her sanity. Can sin ever have a silver lining? You’ll love revisiting the main characters from Michelle’s highly acclaimed debut novel, Boaz Brown, in this long-awaited story of rebellion and redemption.PodcastAbout the Book